Zero Sum Game
by Naphtali's Ink
Summary: After over 50 years of faithful service, Ciel decides to terminate Sebastian's contract. In 1950s America, Ciel has decided to start out on his own. When someone from his distant past is no longer a memory, he takes his first contract as a demon. Eventual slash.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The owner of the restaurant that Ciel Arkwright visited with his guardian every sunday at 9 am like clockwork thought little of the older man in question. Anthony Bellamy found the boy very cordial when he ordered his sausages and eggs, but it had not taken long for him to realize that the boy always seemed half starved, as though it were taking every bit of energy he had to eat with a measure of dignity.

No indeed, Mr. Bellamy did not like Sebastian Arkwright at all. He certainly didn't like the strange touches that Mr. Arkwright would give his adoptive son, or the venemous, hungry way he eyed his own son on the rare occasion that Alois came into the diner. Six days out of the week, Mr. Arkwright came into the diner alone, and five of those times always seemed to be right after school on a weekday, when Alois was working at the counter, during his three hour shift. His son had repeatedly voiced his dislike for the man, and asked Anthony to keep him away, but he couldn't exactly turn away a paying customer, especially one who left such generous tips, because of such a vague suspicion. Mr. Arkwright after all, had always been polite to both of them.

This particular Sunday however, was becoming especially difficult. The young Arkwright seemed to be glaring daggers at his father, and Mr. Arkwright seemed to be glaring right back. Sparks were practically flying between them. Ciel grit his teeth. Mr. Bellamy busied himself with making Ciel's sausages well done, the way he always liked them, but just as he was scooping them onto the plate he heard the boy yell "Forget this!" in his strong British accent. The boy stood up, and his father stood along with him and reached out to grab his arm. Ciel smacked his arm away and grabbed the taller man by his collar. Anthony gawked. Never in the two years the two had been coming here had he ever seen Ciel show such disrespect.

Sebastian frowned and when he spoke, it was in a deep growl, rather than the normally polite tone that one would expect from a former Butler. "It is for your own safety!" he heard him growl, and he shivered. Anthony was a very tall, very well built man, and he easily had thirty pounds of muscle on Sebastian, but at that moment, he began to rethink his fantasies of wrestling Sebastian to the ground and winning the respect and adoration he deserved from his son.

"I don't need you to protect me anymore!" Ciel shot back, "You imbecile! You refuse to listen to me?"

"I do." Sebastian said irritably, "In this instance, as you very well know, it is against the terms of my contract."

SLAP!

Mr. Bellamy dropped the sausages on the floor in shock. Sebastian put his hand to his cheek and glared at his son. It was then that Ciel dropped his voice, so that the stunned patrons couldn't hear him. He strained to listen in.

"Well I've had it! I order you to leave! Don't come back! As of November the fifteenth, 1953, I terminate our contract!"

Sebastian glared. Then he nodded, bowed, and said. "Goodbye, Master," and walked out the door.

Mr. Bellamy stood there stunned, before he shook his head, and began cleaning the shattered plate and sausage off the floor.


	2. Chapter I: Stranger

Chapter 1: Stranger

Alois Bellamy sighed in frustration. There were few things that annoyed him more than reruns on the television. One of those few things was reruns that he'd already seen three times.

_I'm beginning to wish I'd taken up father's offer to work weekends, _he thought irritably. He walked over and turned the TV off. Boredom had been creeping up his spine all day, but it wasn't as if he had many friends to pal around with. Ever since his father had decided that they would move to America, he'd been excited. He was in the heart of New York City. Surely, he had thought, it would be easy to make friends in a city with nearly eight million people. It didn't take him long to realize however, that most of the boys his age weren't interested in palling around with him in the slightest. They called him a queer, a nancy boy, a homo.

Alois grit his teeth. He felt tears sting at his eyes. He knew that the allegations were true, and it scared him out of his wits. He knew that he was a loser, a fairy, and that he was probably going to hell. And he'd seen the way that Sebastian fellow had looked at him for the past year in the diner since he'd been working there. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that the man was a homosexual.

_Well he won't get me, limey bastard. I'm not going to be some little sissy boy like that. I'm a man. Regardless of what my evil mind wants to tell me, _he thought. He punched the couch in frustration before sighing again.

_Maybe I should go for a walk or something. It's a bit chilly, but it would be nice to get out of the flat for a bit. _

"Come here Skipper!" he called, and he smiled as his Golden Retriever came skidding around the corner and leapt at him. He had to fight off Skipper's tongue barrage for a moment before he finally managed to get a leash around his neck.

"Good boy!" he said, patting the dog's head. Skipper barked gleefully as they descended the stairs from the third floor and out to the street. He was immediately hit with the stink of the city in all its foul glory and he grimaced. Rotting garbage and exhaust raced up his nostrils and down his throat, making him gag.

_Good old New York, _he thought. _Nothing like it. _

He had been walking north for a good ten minutes, ignoring a few men here and there drinking in the gutter, when he came across his favorite cafe and decided to stop in to get some coffee. While he was crossing the street however he heard a horn blare and looked up just in time to see a taxi barreling toward him. He jumped backward and dropped Skipper's leash in shock. The dog, terrified by the traffic, bolted in between cars and up the street. Alois called out after him, but Skipper either didn't hear him or didn't care. Alois slid over the hood of the car, completely ignoring the man's cries of protest and indignation, before chasing after the dog. At the time, it felt like he'd been chasing him forever, but before he knew it, he was following the dog into a dark, dingy alley in West Harlem. Skipper trotted around the corner, finally slowing down so that Alois had a chance to catch up.

"Come on Skipper," Alois called faintly, "We shouldn't be here!"

He was met with a couple loud barks in reply. He rounded the corner and was surprised to see Skipper's leash in the hand of an older gentleman. Alois smiled nervously. The man smiled back warmly. He was a short, thin, dark skinned man of average build and, as Alois shook his hand, he found he was a man of strong grip as well.

"Name's Dewey young sir," the man said kindly, "You might want to keep better track of this here pup. He seems the adventurous type."

He handed Alois the leash and Skipper barked his approval.

"Bad Skipper!" Alois scolded, "Don't go running round without me!" He then turned to face Dewey.

"Thank you sir. I was afraid he'd get away from me. I'm Alois," he said, shaking his hand one more time. Dewey looked almost surprised to see a white child treating him with such respect, and he said as much.

"Well, you did save my dog. Why would I be rude to you?" Alois asked.

Dewey smiled. "I suppose I'm not used to running into boys with manners around here. Lot of hoodlums up to no good. You don't look like you belong in this neighborhood sonny."

Alois nodded, "I didn't intend to come up here, but Skipper just ran when we crossed the street."

Dewey nodded in understanding. "Well, my car is parked just down the street if you'd like a ride home."

The hair on the back of Alois' neck prickled.

"I'm not sure. I appreciate the offer, but father did tell me to never take rides from strangers," he replied.

He was met with a wide grin in reply. "Well shucks my boy, your daddy taught you right. But we're not strangers anymore are we? I'd say we're pretty good friends. It's up to you of course."

Alois mulled it over. He'd been planning to just go to the cafe and go back home, but he supposed he wouldn't mind going down to the diner and asking his dad if he could use the extra help. It definitely wouldn't hurt to have extra pocket money. After chewing his bottom lip for a moment, he nodded. "Could you take Skipper and me down to my father's diner, sir?"

Dewey did a mock bow and smiled. "Just show me the way, your highness," he joked. Alois was suddenly struck with a flash of what felt strangely like a memory from long ago. The face of a butler, bowing before him. He got instant chills, but shook them off, and nodded.

"Alright. It's down in Lennox Hill. Thank you mister."

"Don't even mention it," the man replied, tipping his hat. "I don't have much else to do today, besides get milk for the missus."

Alois guided Skipper as they walked out of the alley and up the street. In no time, they were standing in front of a two seater beater. He opened the door, got into the passenger seat and was about to get Skipper to hop in as well, when he heard a click and his blood ran cold.

There was a revolver pressed up against the side of his head.

"Close the door," Dewey said, his voice suddenly cold. Alois replied, his hand shaking all the while. The engine started up and they drove up the street, leaving the dog behind.

"Wh-Where are you taking me?" Alois asked with trepidation in every syllable.

Dewey snorted. "Oh. You'll find out...my pretty little friend. You'll find out."

Alois had never felt as much fear in his life as when he looked into Dewey's manic, grinning face.

A/n: I was originally going to make this chapter and the next chapter one, to keep them all at a good length, but I figure shorter chapters mean quicker updates. Let me know if you all prefer quicker updates or longer chapters and I'll probably oblige. Thank you to all who reviewed the prologue. Hope to see more. How long this story lasts depends on the reader letting me know they want it continued!


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